The present invention relates to rotary drives generally, and more particularly to a noncombustion pressurized vapor driven rotary engine.
Conventional internal combustion engines have proven to be the single most prevalent source of atmospheric pollution. To a very large degree, the pollution results from the need to maximize the power and performance of such engines which leads to high compression ratios which in turn result in incomplete combustion processes and the emission of large amounts of gaseous and particulate pollutants. In an effort to remedy the emission pollution problems, complex valving arrangements and electronic control circuits have been added to the basic design of the engines. In some respects, emissions have been substantially reduced by such efforts. However, this reduction in emissions has resulted in a substantial increase in the cost of the engines. Further, engine efficiencies have been reduced to an extent.
Further, typical reciprocating internal combustion engines are relatively inefficient systems primarily due to the translation of linear piston motion to rotary motion. Attempts have been made in the past to depart from the conventional concept of reciprocating internal combustion engines. Presently, the most widely utilized alternative which has been accepted for commercial applications in automobiles is a rotary engine commonly known as the "Wankel engine". It employs a generally triangular eccentrically rotating piston disposed within an elongate, generally oval chamber. The piston rotates within the chamber and alternatingly intakes a fuel mixture, compresses it, ignites it, and exhausts it, the same cycle as a reciprocating engine but with rotary motion. Mechanically this engine has been a substantial simplification over the conventional reciprocating piston-type internal combustion engine because it has greatly simplified valving and because linearly reciprocating pistons, interconnected by complicated crankshafts, have been eliminated. However, the serious concern regarding pollution has not been eliminated with the Wankel engine. Further, the seals in the Wankel engine remain subject to extreme wear and tear.